Difficulty Opening Bauer P2 Filter Assembly

[bakodiver391]

Thats the first that I've ever heard that Christlube is a superior lubricant to anything, that might be true if you compare it to 120 grit alum oxide, JB Weld or other epoxys, but my experience with Christolube has been bad enough that I don't even use it for things that are in direct contact with HP O2. A few months later, after it dries out, its lubricating qualities are similar to aluminum oxide. Hate the stuff!

Michael

Strange that our results are so different. I changed the filters on my K14 today and paid particular attention to the threads and o rings. The Christolube was still wet and slick, and the end caps came out smooth as silk. The only place i've really seen Christolube fail is on the piston and piston oring on a piston first stage regulator. It seems to pick up salt and produce the abrasive crap you're describing, but i try to avoid piston first stages on principle, so not an issue.

 

[Agro]

I had the same problem on my Bauer. I recommend:
- Take away the o-ring
- Clean the thread very well, use diluent and a toothbrush
- Have a closer look to the threads, are the dammaged?
- Lubricate, no matter what you use, use a lot of it.
- Do NOT put back the o-ring
- Try to screw in by hand only, no tools! If it works, we found the problem: the o-ring. If it does not work, the thread is gone, you have to replace the filter which is expensive.

In my case I found that the o-ring became hard and harder over the years, this made it impossible to screw in by hand. Lubricating did not solve the problem, I had to replace the o-ring. I fount that the original Bauer o-ring is 59.92x3.53 which is far to fat for the o-ring nut. No o-ring producer recommendes to press the o-ring as much as this. I use a o-ring 60.0x3.0 NBR 70 shore, which perfectly corresponds to the o-ring nut. I am very happy with that. It's much easier to screw in and it is tight. Normaly you use an o-ring of 90 shore on high pressure but the 70 shore is much smoother, screwing in is much easier and it perfectly works, no problems for 10 years and 1'000 hours of working. Of course I change the o-ring from time to time but to be honest, I don't remember when I did last time. Anyway no leaking for 10 years.

Not screwing in completely is no good idea at all! It's sealing but it may explode. You must have the full thread working, otherwise the thread is to weak. Of course you shall not screw it in like hell at the very end. I use to screw in completly and then re-open it a little bit, perhaps 1-3mm. This does not affect the o-ring sealing and not the thread strength.

Hope this helps.